Hanger for intravenous bottles

ABSTRACT

An adjustable intravenous bottle pendant assembly permitting heightwise and translatory adjustment of feeding units supported thereby by one hand operation by a nurse or hospital attendant.

nit tates atent 1 l 1 3,784,145

Lawrie Jan. 8, 1974 Inventor! Raymond William Lawrie, 251,945 8/1926Great Britain 248/330 Brooklyn, NY.

2 l I) l I B kl [73] Asslgnee g g Cu K we yn Primary ExaminerW1ll1am H.Schultz Attorney-Mark T. Basseches et al. [22] Filed: Mar. 31, 1972 21Appl. No.: 239,997"

[57] ABSTRACT [52] U.S. Cl. 248/334 [51] Int. Cl. F16! 13/00 Anadjustable intravenous bottle pendant assembly [58] Field of Search248/318, 320, 322, p rmitting heightwise and translatory adjustment of211/117 feeding units supported thereby by one hand operation by a nurseor hospital attendant. [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 11Claims, 7 Drawing Figures 222,771 4/l973 Clark et al. 248/334 ll HANGERIFOR INTRAVENOUS BOTTLES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION tient to develop adesired static pressure head to I achieve optimum feed rates of thedispensed fluid, be it nutriments, blood plasma, whole blood, etc.Holders for the i.v. bottles may comprise simple portable stands whichmay be readily located adjacent the bed of a patient requiringtreatment.

In modern hospital usage there is desirably provided a track member setinto the ceiling, incorporating some form of depending hanger adapted tosupport i.v. bottles. A hanger mounting desirably permits translatorymovement so that the mounting member may be disposed at any selectedposition along thetrack. In installations heretofore known, means areadditionally provided for vertically adjusting the height of the hangerand hence, the pressure head.

The systems heretofore employed have evidenced multiple drawbacks whichinterfere with their facile usage and/or upkeep and, in some instances,require two or more persons to perfect adjustment.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention may be summarized asdirected to an improved i.v. hanger assembly which will enable a nurseor hospital attendant to effect both heightwise and translatoryadjustment of an i.v. bottle support member with the use of only onehand. The hanger apparatus comprises telescoping upper and lower tubularmembers, the uppermost end of the upper member being connected to aroller carriage mounted for translatory movement along an overheadtrack. Telescoping tubes are preferably keyed together so that rotationabout a vertical axis imparted to the lower tube will be communicated tothe upper tube. A threaded element is actuated responsive to suchrotation, selectively to clamp or unclamp the roller carriage relativeto the track, whereby the carriage may be freed for movement along thetrack or fixed in position relative thereto.

' The lower tubular member carries one or more hangers for supportingthe i.v. bottles and, in addition, carriesa control box including anoperating knob. The knob adjustably controls a constant force springassembly having a rotatable coiled component or components disposedwithin the control box and an extending free end portion which passesupwardly internally from the lower nested section into the upper nestedsection, being fixed near an upper end of the last' mentioned section.The knob maybe shifted between adjusting and locking positions of therotatable coils to control the amount of spring which is payed out andthe amount remaining coiled, thus to control the amount of overlap ofthe tubes and, hence, the effective height of the i.v. bottles. When theknob is shifted to the adjusting position, the coil is unclamped andupward or downward movement of the knob (which movement iscounter-balanced by the tendency of the spring to achieve the coiledposition) will result, respectively, in coiling or uncoiling of thespring.

After a selected amount-of telescoping is achieved, subsequenttightening of the knob will clamp the coiled portion, thereby fixing thetubular members in the selected nested condition. Since the same knobwhich is used to clamp or unclamp the coiled spring is also desirablyemployed to effect rotation of the hanger about its vertical axis, itwill be evident that all necessary adjustments may be accomplishedmerely by gripping the operator knob.

It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide anadjustable i.v. pendant assembly.

A further object of the invention is to provide an i.v. assembly of thetype described wherein the unit may be released for adjustment or lockedin a predetermined heightwise and longitudinally shifted position by aone hand operation.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a device of thetype described which incorporates vertically directed telescopingtubular members which may be locked in a selected overlapping positionwithout the provision of clamping means extending between the tubularmembers, such clamping means having been found undesirable in view ofthe marring and defacing of one or both of the tubular members,resulting ultimately in a binding of the parts.

Still a further object of the invention is the provision of a simplifiedassembly of the type described wherein the heightwise adjustmentmechanism functions additionally to relieve the effort required to shiftthe parts in a vertical direction.

To attain these objects and such further objects as may appear herein orbe hereinafter pointed out, reference is made to the accompanyingdrawings, forming a part hereof, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an i.v. assembly in accordance with theinvention, hung from a track section representing a short fragment of anextended track;

FIG. 2 is a magnified vertical section taken on the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a vertical section taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a vertical section taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIGS. 6 and 7 are horizontal sections taken on the line 6-6 of FIG. 5,showing the position of the parts in the heightwise adjusting andlocking conditions, respectively.

Reference will now be made to the drawings wherein 10 is a short sectionof an extended horizontal track assembly fixed to or recessed within theceiling of a hospital room. Typically, the track 10 will be mountedabove the level of the ceiling, access thereto being provided by a slotformed in the ceiling.

A roller carriage l 1 is mounted to the track assembly for translatorymovement therealong, the carriage including a depending support loop 12.

The pendant mechanism 13 includes at its upper end 14 a support hook 15,which may be readily mounted upon and decoupled from the loop 12.

The pendant mechanism 13 includes an upper tubular section 16 and atelescoping lower tubular section 17, the lower section 17 having fixedthereto, by welding or the like, two or more i.v. bottle support arms18, 19.

It will be appreciated that, in known manner, the i.v. bottle includes alower distribution end 21, the bottle, at its upper end including ahanger bail 22 adapted to be supported on an open support ring 23 of thearms 18, 19. A control box 24 is fixed to the lower end 25 of the lowersection 17.

The roller assembly 11 includes a roller support yoke 26, which isgenerally U-shaped in vertical section, as can best be seen from aninspection of FIG. 3. The yoke 26 includes vertical support arms 27, 28and horizontal linking branch 29. A pair of rollers 30 are fixed to armsupport 28, a comparable pair of rollers 31 being fixed to the other arm27. The sets of rollers 30, 31 ride in spaced grooves 32, 33,respectively, formed in the track assembly 10, whereby translatorymovement of the assembly 11 along the track is permitted when anappropriate shifting force is applied to the assembly 11 via the pendantassembly.

Mechanism is provided for locking the roller assembly 11 at a selectedadjusted position along the track. For this purpose, the support loop 12includes a vertically directed threaded section 34, received in acomplementally threaded adjustment nut member 35, welded or otherwisenon-rotatably fixed to the branch 29 of the yoke 26. A clamp nut 36 isfixed in position at the upper end 37 of the threaded section 34 of theloop 12. The clamp nut 36 may initially be threaded over the end 37 andlocked against further rotation by welding, or by destruction of thethreads of the portion 34 surrounding the clamp nut. As best seen inFIG. 3, the upper surface of the clamp nut 36 is positioned immediatelyadjacent the lowermost surface of the under surface of flanges 38, 39 ofthe track section.

From the foregoing it will be appreciated that rotation of the hook 12will, by reason of the threaded engagement of the hook with adjustmentnut 35, result in an upward or downward movement of the clamp nut 36toward or away from the flanges 38, 39.

It will be readily recognized that when the clamp nut 36 is pressedagainst the flanges, the roller carriage will be locked to thetrackagainst translatory movement, rotation to clear the nut 36 from thetrack freeing the carriage for subsequent movement.

The lower end 40 of the support hook 15 is fixedly threadedly connectedinto a block 41 disposed at the upper end 14 of the upper tubular member16.

The control box 24 includes a side wall perimeter 42, face plate 43 anda removable back wall 44. A bearing support plate 45 is fixed to theface plate 43 interiorly of the box 24, the bearing support plateincluding a parallel pair of trunnion members 46, 47. Each of thetrunnion members or bearing means 46, 47 forms a rotatable supportbearing for spring mounting bushings 48, 49, respectively.

A constant force coil spring 50 is tightly convoluted about the bushing48, the inner terminal end 51 of the constant force spring beingnon-rotatably fixed to the bushing by a mounting pin 52. In similarfashion, a second constant force coil spring 53 is tightly convolutedabout bushing 49, the end 54 of the spring being fastened to the bushing49 by pin 55.

It will be noted that the springs 50 and 53 are wound in oppositedirections, the extending band portions 56, 57 of the springs 50 and 53,respectively, paying out from a central, juxtaposed position closelyadjacent the vertical axis of the tubular members l6, 17.

The uppermost wall 58 of the control box is provided with a centralcutout 59, the lower end 60 of the lower tubular member 17 passingthrough cutout 59 and being welded into connection with the control box.

The uppermost ends 61, 62 (see FIG. 3) of the band portions 56, 57 ofthe spring assemblies 50, 53 are fixed, as by clamp bolt 63, to theblock 41 at the upper end of the upper tubular member 16. The springassemblies 50, 53 are so formed as to exert a continuous force tendingto urge the springs toward the fully convoluted position which, as willbe readily understood from the illustrated embodiment, corresponds tothe position of maximum overlapping of the lower tubular member 17 overthe upper tubular member 16. Such overlapping position represents thehighest adjusted position of the i.v. bottle supports.

It will be further appreciated that when the lower section is moveddownwardly from the completely overlapping position, increased amountsof the coiled spring assemblies 50, 53 are unreeled, such unreelingbeing effected against the tension in the springs, it being evident thatsuch unreeling is accompanied by rotation of the bushings 48, 49 abouttheir support trunnions or bearings 46, 47.

The tubular members 16, 17 are locked in a selected overlappingrelationship to achieve a desired heightwise positioning of the i.v.bottles by the height control mechanism 64 next to be described.

The control mechanism includes a threaded lock bolt 65, extendinggenerally horizontally into the interior of the control box 24 throughthe front wall 43 thereof. The outer end 66 of the lock bolt isnon-rotatably connected to an operating knob 67 by a set screw 68. Thethreaded body portion of the bolt 65 passes through a complementallythreaded bore 69 in the trunnion support plate 45 mounted to the frontwall 43.

The inner end 70 of the lock bolt 65 is of a reduced cylindrical crosssection as contrasted with the major body portion, a shoulder 71 beingdefined at the interface between the reduced portion 70 and the mainbody portion 65. The reduced portion 70 extends through apertures 72 and73 formed in a clamping plate 74, and restrainer plate 75, respectively.The clamping plate and restrainer plate 74 and 75 are preferably formedof yieldable spring steel.

The reduced portion 70, at the inner end of the locking bolt 65, isformed with a transverse aperture 76, within which aperture atransversely directed clamp pin 77 is fixedly mounted. As best seen fromFIG. 5, the axial extent of the bushings 48, 49 is preferably slightlygreater than the transverse dimension of the spring members 50 and 53.

From the foregoing description it will be appreciated that rotation ofthe operator knob 67 in one direction will shift the clamp plate 74toward the front wall 43, whereby the bushings 48, 49 will be tightlysandwiched between the plate 74 and the bearing support plate 45. Due tothe resilience of the plate 74 and the fact that the bolt 65 extendscentrally between the two spring assemblies 50 and 53, it will beperceived that the clamping force exerted by the yieldable plate 74against the bushings 48 and 49 will be substantially identical since, ifthe plate should engage one bushing prior to the other, no substantialpressure can be exerted against either bushing until the plate is cantedto a slight degree and engages the other bushing, further tighteningefforts resulting in the application of essentially equal pressureagainst both bushings.

Upon counter-rotation of the locking bolt 65, it will be understood thatthe plate 74 will be shifted away from the locked position shown in FIG.7, to the release position shown in FIG. 6.

It will be appreciated that in the heightwise locked position of theassembly (FIG. 7) resulting from the clamping of the bushings againstrotation, the normal upward movement of the lower tubular member 17 overthe upper tubular member 16 will be prevented.

Desirably, to effect facile adjustment of the height of the apparatus,only a minimum amount of turning of the knob 67 should be needed toshift the operating mechanism between the releasing and the lockingpositions of the tubular members 16, 17. To this end, and as seen bestin FIGS. 6 and 7, the restrainer plate 75 includes a pair of rearwardlyextending wings 78, 79, terminating in laterally outwardly directed footportions 80, 81, respectively. The wings 78, 79 tend yieldingly to cometogether and normally bias the plate 74 toward the front wall. By reasonof the resilient forces exerted by the wing portions 78, 79 of the plate75, it will be noted that releasing forces exerted on the knob 67 arenot free-wheeling forces but, rather, are exerted against the pressureapplied by the plate 75. The net result of such structure is to preventan over-releasing or undue amount of rotation of the knob in the courseof unclamping, since such unclamping forces applied to the knob meetwith immediate resistance.

A further beneificial effect of the resilient forces exerted by theplate 75 is that the clamp plate 74, when clamping pressure is justreleased by appropriate rotation of the knob, is still lightly pressedagainst the bushings 48, 49, exerting a braking or dragging influenceagainst the bushings, thereby to prevent unchecked rotation of thebushings. Thus, the construction will act as a brake so that when theknob is operated in an unclamping direction, the lower tubular member 17will not snap upwardly but, instead, will move upwardly at a gradualrate due to the frictional forces exerted against the bushings. Also,the operator is able, by reason of the described construction,immediately to sense when clamping forces are released, at which pointfurther releasing rotation may be avoided. As a result, only a minimumamount of rotation in an opposite direction need be effected in order toreclamp the tubular members at a desired overlapped or telescopedposition.

The operation of the apparatus will be evident from the precedingdescription. As an initial step, thependant assembly should be adjustedalong thetrack into a proper position adjacent the patient. Suchadjustment is effected by grasping the knob 67 and, through the use ofthe knob, bodily rotating the tubular members 16, 17 about the verticalaxis thereof, whereby the clamping nut 63 is released from engagementwith the flanges 38, 39, the pitch of the clamping nut being preferablyselected to permit adjustment with a rotation of the tubular member ofless than 360. The unit may then be slid to the desired position andtightened by retro rotation of the assembly about the noted verticalaxis.

After the entire assembly is adjusted relative to the track, heightwiseadjustment is effected by operating the knob 67 to rotate the bolt 65 inthe manner previously discussed in detail. In the released position ofthe bushing clamp assembly, the tubular sections l6, 17 may be slidupwardly and downwardly, the strength of the springs 50, 53 preferablybeing such as to require a downward pulling force to effect reducedoverlapping of the tubular members, upward sliding movement beingaccomplished by the force of the springs. The unit is locked againstheightwise variation by counterrotating the knob 67 to clamp thebushings 48 and 49.

It will thus be seen that the spring assemblies in the present apparatusserve a double function of affording a counter-balancing force and, byadjustment of the unreeled length of the springs, a clamping function.

By effecting clamping against the bushings concealed within the controlbox 24, there is no tendency toward marring, defacing or otherwisedegrading the appearance of the sliding tubular members, with possibleattendant binding of the parts, such as would be the case, for instance,if heightwise adjustment were effected by driving a set screw fixed inone sleeved section against an external face of the other section.

The i.v. hanger assembly of the present invention is inexpensive tomanufacture, simple and reliable in use, and permits facile one handadjustment.

It will be evident that mechanical variations incorporating theprinciples of the invention hereof will suggest themselves to theskilled artisan familiar with the instant disclosure and, accordingly,the present invention is not to be limited to the specific constructionsillustrated but is to be broadly construed within the scope of theappended claims.

I claim:

1. An adjustable intravenous bottle pendant assembly for providingheightwise adjustment of a bottle hanger relative to a ceiling support,comprising a first tubular, vertically directed guide member mounted tothe ceiling structure, a second tubular, vertically directed guidemember below said first guide member, said second guide member slidablytelescoping with said first member to provide vertical adjustmentthereof, bearing means comprising a pair of horizontally disposedtrunnions mounted in a casing on said second guide member, a band springassembly including a pair of band spring members each having a free endportion fixed to said first guide member, and a coiled portion rotatablymounted on a different one of said trunnions, said spring assembly beingtensioned yieldingly to urge said guide members toward the telescopedposition thereof, and manually operable clamp means on said casing forlocking said coiled portions of said spring members against rotationthereby to fix said guide members in a selected telescoped condition,the portions of said spring members between said free ends and saidcoiled portions being concealed within said tubular members.

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the terminal ends of said coiledportions of said spring members are fixed to collars rotatably mountedon said trunnions, and said clamp means is actuatable to engage andprevent rotation of said collars.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein said free ends of said springs areanchored adjacent the upper end of said first tubular member.

4. The device of claim 2 wherein said clamp means comprises a knob, athreaded member operatively associated with said knob, and yieldablespring pressure plate means shiftable into clamping and releasing posi-7 tions of said collar responsive to operation of said knob.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said threaded member is engaged in acomplementally threaded aperture in a first wall of said casing and saidpressure plate means is mounted to said member and disposed adjacent asecond wall of said casing parallel to and spaced from said first wall,said plate means including resilient portions adapted to engage saidsecond wall when said knob is rotated to shift said plate away from saidclamping position, whereby to provide resistance to said rotation andthus signal that said plate is clear of said clamping position.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said ceiling support includes ahorizontal track member, roller means on said first tubular guide memberengaging said track member for supporting said pendant for translatorymovement along said track member, and locking means interposed betweensaid track member and said roller means adapted to be shifted intoengagement with said track for locking said pendant assembly againstmovement along said track responsive to rotation of said guide meansabout a vertical axis.

7. The device of claim 6 wherein said locking means includes a threadedmember shiftable toward and away from said track responsive to thedirection of rotation of said guide means.

8. An intravenous bottle pendant assembly adjustably mounted formovement along a horizontal track and for heightwise adjustment relativethereto, comprising a roller assembly adapted to be supported on saidtrack for translatory movement, first and second telescoping verticalguide members slidingly and non-rotatably connected together, said firstguide member being secured to said roller assembly, bottle hanger meanson said second guide member, lock means interposed between said rollerand said track shiftable into clamping engagement of said trackresponsive to rotation of said guide means about the vertical axisthereof, a control assembly on said second guide means including a bandspring assembly having a coiled portion and an extending portion,bearing means in said control assembly rotatably supporting the coiledportion of said spring assembly, the extending portion of said springassembly passing upwardly through and being concealed within saidtubular members with the free end of said extending portion beinganchored to said first guide member adjacent an upper portion thereof,said spring assembly being tensioned normally to urge said guide memberstoward the telescoped condition thereof, and control means for fixingsaid guide members in a preselected telescoped condition, including anoperator portion, and a clamp portion shiftable to clamping andreleasing positions of said coiled portion of said spring, whereby saidcoiled portion is respectively prevented from rotating and free torotate relative to said bearing means.

9. The device of claim 8 wherein said clamping means comprises a clampplate shiftable toward and away from said coil portion of said springassembly, and said operator means includes a threaded member rotatablymounted in said casing and adapted, in said clamping position, tosandwich said coil against a first wall of said casing.

10. The device of claim 9 wherein said plate includes resilient portionsadapted to engage a second wall portion of said casing when saidoperator means is rotated to shift said plate away from said clampingposition. thereby to provide resistance to said reverse rotation andexert a drag force against free rotation of said coil.

11. The device of claim 10 wherein said band spring assembly includestwo spring members rotatable about parallel axes, the extending portionsof said spring members lying substantially coincident with the verticalaxes of said guide members.

1. An adjustable intravenous bottle pendant assembly for providingheightwise adjustment of a bottle hanger relative to a ceiling support,comprising a first tubular, vertically directed guide member mounted tothe ceiling structure, a second tubular, vertically directed guidemember below said first guide member, said second guide member slidablytelescoping with said first member to provide vertical adjustmentthereof, bearing means comprising a pair of horizontally disposedtrunnions mounted in a casing on said second guide member, a band springassembly including a pair of band spring members each having a free endportion fixed to said first guide member, and a coiled portion rotatablymounted on a different one of said trunnions, said spring assembly beingtensioned yieldingly to urge said guide members toward the telescopedposition thereof, and manually operable clamp means on said casing forLocking said coiled portions of said spring members against rotationthereby to fix said guide members in a selected telescoped condition,the portions of said spring members between said free ends and saidcoiled portions being concealed within said tubular members.
 2. Theassembly of claim 1 wherein the terminal ends of said coiled portions ofsaid spring members are fixed to collars rotatably mounted on saidtrunnions, and said clamp means is actuatable to engage and preventrotation of said collars.
 3. The device of claim 1 wherein said freeends of said springs are anchored adjacent the upper end of said firsttubular member.
 4. The device of claim 2 wherein said clamp meanscomprises a knob, a threaded member operatively associated with saidknob, and yieldable spring pressure plate means shiftable into clampingand releasing positions of said collar responsive to operation of saidknob.
 5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said threaded member isengaged in a complementally threaded aperture in a first wall of saidcasing and said pressure plate means is mounted to said member anddisposed adjacent a second wall of said casing parallel to and spacedfrom said first wall, said plate means including resilient portionsadapted to engage said second wall when said knob is rotated to shiftsaid plate away from said clamping position, whereby to provideresistance to said rotation and thus signal that said plate is clear ofsaid clamping position.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said ceilingsupport includes a horizontal track member, roller means on said firsttubular guide member engaging said track member for supporting saidpendant for translatory movement along said track member, and lockingmeans interposed between said track member and said roller means adaptedto be shifted into engagement with said track for locking said pendantassembly against movement along said track responsive to rotation ofsaid guide means about a vertical axis.
 7. The device of claim 6 whereinsaid locking means includes a threaded member shiftable toward and awayfrom said track responsive to the direction of rotation of said guidemeans.
 8. An intravenous bottle pendant assembly adjustably mounted formovement along a horizontal track and for heightwise adjustment relativethereto, comprising a roller assembly adapted to be supported on saidtrack for translatory movement, first and second telescoping verticalguide members slidingly and non-rotatably connected together, said firstguide member being secured to said roller assembly, bottle hanger meanson said second guide member, lock means interposed between said rollerand said track shiftable into clamping engagement of said trackresponsive to rotation of said guide means about the vertical axisthereof, a control assembly on said second guide means including a bandspring assembly having a coiled portion and an extending portion,bearing means in said control assembly rotatably supporting the coiledportion of said spring assembly, the extending portion of said springassembly passing upwardly through and being concealed within saidtubular members with the free end of said extending portion beinganchored to said first guide member adjacent an upper portion thereof,said spring assembly being tensioned normally to urge said guide memberstoward the telescoped condition thereof, and control means for fixingsaid guide members in a preselected telescoped condition, including anoperator portion, and a clamp portion shiftable to clamping andreleasing positions of said coiled portion of said spring, whereby saidcoiled portion is respectively prevented from rotating and free torotate relative to said bearing means.
 9. The device of claim 8 whereinsaid clamping means comprises a clamp plate shiftable toward and awayfrom said coil portion of said spring assembly, and said operator meansincludes a threaded member rotatably mounted in said casing and adapted,in said clamping position, to sandwich saiD coil against a first wall ofsaid casing.
 10. The device of claim 9 wherein said plate includesresilient portions adapted to engage a second wall portion of saidcasing when said operator means is rotated to shift said plate away fromsaid clamping position, thereby to provide resistance to said reverserotation and exert a drag force against free rotation of said coil. 11.The device of claim 10 wherein said band spring assembly includes twospring members rotatable about parallel axes, the extending portions ofsaid spring members lying substantially coincident with the verticalaxes of said guide members.